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Fans of the caped crusader believe there's nothing that can make Batman lose his composure. Of course, Bruce Wayne shows his emotions in the films but that's for entertainment. And, if you want to see the caped crusader in the raw, Batman: Arkham Origins (Rs 2,999 for PS3) is a good game to start with.
The game, a prequel to the successful Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, features a somewhat angsty and overconfident (some would say arrogant) superhero, still coming to grips with his identity as Gotham's protector. It's still early in the caped crusader's career, and if you've watched Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, the story would seem familiar.
The title, though, is not accurate as the game is not about Arkham. The action takes place in Gotham City, menacing and difficult to navigate, compared to the two versions. It's more like an origin story for Batman and his equation with the various characters in his pantheon, including Joker, Penguin and Commissioner Gordon, a captain in this game, and a younger version of Alfred.
The most interesting parts were the initial interactions between Gordon, who sees Batman as something of a lunatic, and the caped crusader. It's interesting to see the tensions during their alliance. In contrast, the relationship between the Joker and Batman is sketchy. The developers could have fleshed out the sequences a bit better.
In Origins, eight assassins hired by Black Mask, who usually appears as a minor villain in the comics, are out to kill Batman. While this gives rise to some compelling battles and challenging skirmishes, one does miss using stealth to overpower enemies.
The fights are enjoyable and took me to my days of playing Mortal Kombat - not something one expects in a Batman game. Also, the dialogue will make Chuck Norris proud but the sound is gratingly loud whenever the caped crusader speaks. That's not to say the voice acting is bad. It is good, specially that of Joker's.
Origin features martial arts exponents. And, an XP system makes its debut.
There are side quests, though the rewards are not substantial. Once you have completed the story in normal mode, you unlock another, and on completing that, one more. But the fights can become tedious.
If you're starting with Batman, Origins is a good game to start with. But if you're a veteran of other Arkham games, you might feel this is the weakest. If you're ready to go in without the baggage of its predecessors, Origins is enjoyable. Just don't expect something earth-shattering.
